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Getting Started

Google Map Maker allows you to create a map by adding or editing features such as roads, businesses, parks, schools and more. Using Google Map Maker tools (see below), you can visually mark locations and add detailed information about them. Once you have submitted content, this information may be edited by other users or moderators. Business Listings and other points of interest published on Map Maker will be available for all Google Maps users on Google Maps very soon thereafter.

  Google Map Maker has many of the same features and uses of Google Maps. Learn more about using Google Maps.



  1. My Map Maker - Use this to view your changes and moderate features.
  2. Moderate / Neighborhoods - Click these to moderate features for other users.
  3. Map search - Use this to search for places, business and anything else that has already been added to MapMaker.
  4. Edit toolbar - Use this to find features you can edit.
  5. Add toolbar - Click these to draw a point, line, or polygon.
  6. Views - Click these to display different views, including aerial images.
  7. Settings - Change your user settings here.
  8. Link to this page - Click this to create a map web address (URL) in your browser that you can share with others.
  9. Stats - This area shows you how many features you've added to the map.
  10. Left panel - This area displays a lot of important information including Search Results, My Changes and Moderation.
  11. Navigation controls - Use these to navigate.
  12. Map - This area displays the map as well as items you are editing.
  13. Info window - This is where the details of a feature live. There are two kinds of info windows: Basic and Detailed.

Accessing Google Map Maker

To access Google Map Maker, visit http://mapmaker.google.com. Use your Google username and password to sign in. If you do not have a Google account, sign up today.

Using Tools

Once you have signed in, Google Map Maker displays in your web browser. The service is similar to Google Maps, but displays tools that allows you to mark locations and add information. These tools include:

 Use the Find tool to locate existing features that others have added to the map. Use this tool before you add a feature.
Use the Browse tool to view all features of a particular type that others have added to the map. Use this tool before you add a feature.
Placemark tool Use the Placemark tool to mark a location such as a business or school.
Line tool Use the Line tool to mark roads, rivers, etc.
Polygon tool Use the Polygon tool to mark regions, such as a park or neighborhood. You can enter similar information as with the Placemark tool, but the Polygon tool enables you to mark an entire area.

  To use these tools, zoom to a range of range of 50m to 1km. To zoom in, use the zoom slider, mouse scroll wheel, or right click > Zoom in. To center a point on the map, right click on the appropriate location and choose Center the map.

Using Views

There are three different views available in Google Map Maker. Click the appropriate view in the right top corner of the map:
  • Map - This shows a map with a traditional depiction of roads, parks, borders, bodies of water and more.
  • Satellite - This shows photos taken from the air, also known as aerial imagery.
  • Hybrid - This shows a mix of the aerial imagery and the map which shows prominent features (roads, city names).

Linking to the Map

To share the map, click Link to this page. This puts a  a link to your page into your browser's address bar. From there you can copy it and send it to friend's over email, chat, or the Google Group Help Forum. This is particularly useful when moderating eachother's changes or providing an example when requesting feedback.

Searching the Map

You can search for anything using the Search box or the Find tool (see above). If a feature you are searching for does not appear:
  • It may not have been added to Google Map Maker. Please add it.
  • Features may have multiple names or multiple spellings of a name. See this page to add additional names to features.
  • The search functionality looks for features near by what you are looking at. You may need to zoom out or navigate to the area your feature is in.

About Data from Other Maps

We expect our users to respect the intellectual property of other maps publishers, and data providers. Please do not copy information from other maps. Only add information that you know well.  The Google Map Maker Terms of Service provides more information on what you can do with this service.